He joined the News-Gazette All-State club as a sophomore, something only three others have done this decade (Rashard Griffith, Ronnie Fields, Mike Robinson).

He's 1 of 5 high school seniors on Street & Smith's Preseason All-America Team. (This, after a shaky summer).

If there's a better small forward around than Corey Maggette, Illinois recruit Frank Williams hasn't seen him. (And Scottie Pippen doesn't count).

"I really like the way he plays," Williams said. "We can have a good thing if he comes, maybe win a couple nationals."

One week after showing Williams the place, Illinois coaches will entertain Maggette. As highly anticipated campus visits go, it's up there with Elvis (1976) and Garth ('97).

The 6-foot-6 Oak Park Fenwick forward is 1 of 2 special guests in town for the weekend.

Cleotis Brown, a 6-4 guard at Alabama's Southern Union State, also will drop by and is expected to choose between the UI, San Francisco and West Virginia early next week.

"I think the possibilities are very strong there," Southern Union coach Ron Radford said Wednesday. "He likes the idea of playing in the Big Ten, one of the power leagues. I think the prospects are very strong."

Maggette, pursued by every Top 25 team in the country at one time or another, has trimmed his list to eight.

There's Stanford, which he visited on Oct. 11. "Beautiful place, can't beat that," Maggette said. "Nice weather and all that. And they have a pretty good team."

There's Illinois, which got an oral commitment from an AAU summer teammate last week (Lucas Johnson) and a News-Gazette All-Stater this week (Williams).

"In my case, that'll help," Maggette said.

The rest of the list includes Clemson, Connecticut, Georgetown, Kentucky, Villanova and Duke, which he may visit on Halloween, as scheduled.

That'd make three. The NCAA allows five.

"I think I'm going to take all five of them," Maggette said.

The fall signing period runs Nov. 12-19. The clock's ticking.

"I'm trying to get it over with. I just can't make up my mind," said Maggette, who's academically qualified to play as a college freshman.

He's not sure if he'll sign before the high school season, but he hopes the visits will help clear things up.

Maggette, who has cousins attending the UI, took an unofficial visit this summer. This time, he gets to spend a weekend hanging out with the team.

"I want to see if I fit in," Maggette said.

And how will you know that?

"You know it in your heart, just the feeling you get toward everybody," Maggette said. "Just like you have feelings about what's right and what's wrong.

"You've got to go on gut instinct."

Brown isn't the household name Maggette is – for a reason.

He sat out all of last season after going down with a hip pointer injury. Most of the basketball world has forgotten about him.

Even junior college guru Rick Ball drew a blank on the guy who averaged 16 points a game as a freshman.

Illinois assistant Robert McCullum, who grew up in Alabama and coached high school and college ball in Alabama, never forgot about the Alabama native, who'll sign early.

Radford believes he'll be glad he didn't.

"He's a tremendous athlete that can score in a lot of different ways," Radford said. "He shoots well enough that you've got to play him on the perimeter, but he's got an explosive first step and can get by you."

Who's left?

Festus Hawkins, Lucas Johnson, Damir Krupalija and Frank Williams have all told Lon Kruger they'll sign with Illinois in November. But with seven scholarships to offer, the Illini haven't stopped recruiting. Who they're still believed to be interested in:

Name, Height, School, Comment

Beau Archibald, 6-6, Utah Valley St. Washington State transfer the next Jon Barry

Darius Beard, 6-10, Utah Valley St. Like Archibald, won't make up mind till spring

Cleotis Brown, 6-4, Southern Union (Ala.) St.One-time Alabama signee sat out '96-97 season

Pierre Greene, 6-2, Chicago Simeon.Point guard may sign elsewhere in November

Corey Maggette, 6-6, Oak Park Fenwick. Awvee Storey, Sergio McClain hosting N-G All-Stater

Bobby Simmons, 6-6, Chicago Simeon. Has been compared to Simeon legend Ben Wilson